mreilly.icestation-第84部分

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　Before　Montana　could　reply；　Cruz　turned　back　around　to　face　his　schematics。　He　pulled　some　handwritten　notes　out　from　under　them。　
　〃But　I　think　I　figured　it　out；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　telling　Fox　about　this　before。　These　notes　I　found　say　that　the　engineers　at　this　hangar　were　working　on　some　new　kind　of　electronically　generated　stealth　mechanism　for　the　Silhouette；　some　kind　of　electromagnetic　field　that　surrounded　the　plane。　But　to　generate　this　electromagnetic　field　they　needed　a　shitload　of　power；　something　in　the　neighborhood　of　2。71　gigawatts。　But　the　only　thing　capable　of　generating　that　kind　of　power　is　a　controlled　nuclear　reaction。　Hence；　the　plutonium。〃　Santa　Cruz　nodded　to　himself；　pleased。　
　He　never　noticed　Montana　stepping　up　quickly　behind　him。　
　〃I　tell　ya；〃　Santa　Cruz　went　on；　〃this　has　been　one　seriously　fucked…up　mission。　Spaceships；　French　troops；　British　troops；　secret　bases；　plutonium　cores；　ICG　traitors。　Fuck。　It's　just…〃　
　Montana's　knife　entered　Santa　Cruz's　ear。　It　went　in　hard　and　penetrated　Santa　Cruz's　brain　in　an　instant。　
　The　young　private's　eyes　went　wide；　then　he　fell　forward　and　slammed　down　face…first　on　the　desk　in　front　of　him。　Dead。　
　Montana　extracted　his　bloody　knife　from　Santa　Cruz's　skull　and　turned　around…　
　…and　saw　Libby　Gant　standing　in　the　doorway　to　the　workshop；　with　a　bundle　of　papers　in　her　hands；　staring　at　him　in　apoplectic　horror。　
　
　
　
　Schofield　keyed　his　helmet　mike。　〃Gant！　Gant！　e　in！〃　
　There　was　no　reply。　
　Schofield　glanced　at　his　watch。　
　9：58　p。m。　
　Shit。　The　break　in　the　solar　flare　would　be　here　in　two　minutes。　
　〃Gant；　I　don't　know　if　you　can　hear　me；　but　if　you　can；　listen　up。　Montana　is　ICG！　I　repeat；　Montana　is　ICG！　Don't　turn　your　back　on　him！　Neutralize　him　if　you　have　to。　I　repeat；　neutralize　him　if　you　have　to。　I've　gotta　go。〃　
　And　with　that；　Schofield　raced　upstairs　and　headed　for　the　radio　room。　
　
　Gant　ran　across　the　cavernous　hangar　with　Montana　in　hot　pursuit。　She　sprinted　past　an　ice　wall　just　as　a　line　of　bullet　holes　erupted　across　it。　
　Gant　unslung　her　MP…5　as　she　raced　through　the　bulkhead　doorway　that　led　back　to　the　fissure　and　the　main　cavern。　She　fired　wildly　behind　her。　Then　she　dived　into　the　horizontal　fissure　and　rolled　through　it　just　as　Montana　appeared　in　the　bulkhead　doorway　behind　her　and　let　off　another　burst　of　gunfire。　
　Another　line　of　bullet　holes　raked　across　the　ice　wall　around　Gant；　only　this　time　the　line　of　bullet　holes　cut　across　the　middle　of　her　body。　
　Two　bullets　lodged　in　her　breastplate。　One　opened　up　a　jagged　red　hole　in　her　side。　
　Gant　stifled　a　scream　as　she　rolled　through　the　fissure；　clutching　her　side。　She　clenched　her　teeth；　saw　the　trickle　of　blood　seep　between　her　fingers。　The　pain　was　excruciating。　
　As　she　rolled　out　of　the　fissure　and　into　the　main　cavern；　she　saw　the　elephant　seals　over　by　the　spaceship；　and　indeed；　no　sooner　was　she　out　of　the　fissure　than　she　saw　one　of　the　seals　lift　its　head　and　look　over　in　her　direction。　
　It　was　the　male。　The　big　bull　with　its　fearsome　lower　fangs。　It　must　have　returned　sometime　in　the　last　half　hour；　Gant　thought　
　The　male　barked　at　her。　Then　it　began　to　move　its　massive　body　toward　her；　his　bulging　layers　of　fat　rippling　with　every　lumbering　stride。　
　The　bullet　wound　in　Gant's　side　burned。　
　She　crawled　on　her　backside　away　from　the　fissure；　keeping　one　eye　on　the　approaching　elephant　seal　and　the　other　on　the　fissure　itself。　A　snail　trail　of　her　blood　stained　the　frosty　floor　behind　her；　betraying　her　path。　
　
　Montana　emerged　from　the　horizontal　fissure；　gun　first。　
　Gant　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　
　He　saw　the　trail　of　blood　on　the　floor；　leading　off　to　the　right；　around　and　behind　a　large　boulder　of　ice。　
　Montana　followed　the　trail　of　blood。　He　quickly　came　round　the　ice　boulder　and　let　rip　with　a　burst　of　gunfire。　He　hit　nothing。　Gant　wasn't　there。　Her　MP…5　just　lay　there　on　the　floor　behind　the　ice　boulder。　
　Montana　spun。　
　Where　the　hell　was　she？　
　
　Gant　saw　Montana　e　back　round　the　ice　boulder　and　catch　sight　of　her。　
　She　was　now　sitting　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　horizontal　fissure；　clutching　at　her　side　with　both　hands。　It　had　taken　all　of　her　strength…and　both　of　her　hands…to　get　to　her　feet　and　run　back　to　the　left…hand　side　of　the　fissure　without　spilling　any　more　blood　before　Montana　had　emerged　from　the　hole。　She　had　actually　intended　to　go　back　in　through　the　fissure；　but　she　had　only　managed　to　get　this　far。　
　Montana　smiled；　walked　slowly　over　to　her。　He　stood　in　front　of　her；　with　his　back　to　the　main　part　of　the　cavern。　
　〃You're　a　plete　son　of　a　bitch；　you　know　that；〃　Gant　said。　
　Montana　shrugged。　
　〃It's　not　even　an　alien　fucking　spaceship；　and　you're　still　killing　us；〃　Gant　said；　looking　out　into　the　cavern　behind　Montana。　
　〃It's　not　just　the　ship　anymore；　Gant。　It's　what　you　know　about　the　ICG。　That's　why　you　can't　be　allowed　to　go　back。〃　
　Gant　looked　Montana　right　in　the　eye。　〃Do　your　fucking　worst。〃　
　Montana　raised　his　gun　to　fire；　but　at　that　moment　a　bloodcurdling　roar　echoed　across　the　cavern。　
　Montana　spun　just　in　time　to　see　the　big　bull　elephant　seal　e　charging　across　the　cavern　toward　him；　roaring　loudly。　The　floor　shook　with　its　every　booming　stride。　
　Gant　took　the　opportunity　and　rolled　quickly　back　through　the　horizontal　fissure　behind　her。　She　fell　in　a　clumsy　heap　to　the　floor　of　the　tunnel　behind　the　fissure。　
　The　big　seal　loped　across　the　cavern　at　incredible　speed；　covering　the　distance　between　the　ship　and　the　fissure　in　seconds。　
　Montana　raised　his　gun；　fired。　
　But　the　animal　was　too　big；　too　close。　
　From　inside　the　tunnel；　Gant　looked　up　and　saw　Montana's　outline　on　the　other　side　of　the　translucent　ice　wall　above　her。　
　And　then　suddenly…whump！…she　saw　Montana's　body　get　slammed　up　against　the　other　side　of　the　translucent　ice　wall。　A　grotesque　star…shaped　explosion　of　blood　flared　out　from　Montana's　body　as　the　big　seal　slammed　him　against　the　ice　wall　with　thunderous　force。　
　Slowly；　painfully；　Gant　got　to　her　feet　and　peered　out　through　the　horizontal　fissure　into　the　main　cavern。　
　She　saw　the　elephant　seal　extract　his　fangs　from　Montana's　belly。　The　long；　blood…slicked　teeth　came　clear　of　his　wet　suit　and　Montana　just　dropped　to　the　floor。　The　elephant　seal　stood　over　his　prone　body　in　triumph。　
　And　then　suddenly　Gant　heard　Montana　groan。　
　He　was　still　alive。　
　Just　barely；　but…yes…definitely　alive。　Gant　then　watched　as　the　big　seal　bent　down　over　Montana　and　ripped　a　large　chunk　of　flesh　from　his　rib　cage。　
　
　
　
　Schofield　strode　into　the　radio　room　on　A…deck　on　the　tick　of　ten　o'clock。　Renshaw　and　Kirsty　came　in　behind　him。　Schofield　sat　down　in　front　of　the　radio　console；　keyed　the　microphone。　
　〃Attention；　McMurdo。　Attention；　McMurdo。　This　is　the　Scarecrow。　Do　you　copy？〃　
　There　was　no　reply。　
　Schofield　repeated　his　message。　
　No　reply。　
　And　then　suddenly：　〃Scarecrow；　this　is　Romeo；　I　read　you。　Give　me　a　Sit…Rep。〃　
　Romeo；　Schofield　thought。　Romeo　was　the　call　sign　of　Captain　Harley　Roach；　the　manding　officer　of　Marine　Force　Reconnaissance　Unit　Five。　Schofield　had　met　Romeo　Roach　on　a　couple　of　occasions　before。　He　was　six　years　older　than　Schofield；　a　good　soldier；　and　a　legend　with　the　ladies…　hence　his　call　sign；　Romeo。　
　What　was　more；　he　was　a　Marine。　Schofield　smiled。　He　had　a　Marine　on　the　line。　
　〃Romeo；〃　Schofield　said；　relief　sweeping　over　him。　〃Situation　is　as　follows：　we　are　in　control　of　the　target　objective。　I　repeat；　we　are　in　control　of　the　target　objective。　Heavy　losses　have　been　sustained；　but　the　target　objective　is　ours。〃　The　target　objective；　of　course；　was　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　Schofield　sighed。　〃What　about　you；　Romeo？　Where　are　you？〃　
　〃Scarecrow；　we　are　currently　in　hovercrafts；　in　a　holding　pattern　approximately　one　mile　from　the　target　objective…　〃　
　Schofield's　head　jerked　up。　
　One　mile。。。。　
　But　that　was　right　outside　the　front　door。。。。　
　〃…and　we　are　under　orders　to　hold　here　until　further　instructed。　We　have　strict　instructions　not　to　enter　the　station。〃　
　Schofield　couldn't　believe　it　
　There　were　Marines　outside